Jose Mourinho claimed it would not be a failure if his Chelsea team finish second in the Premier league this season, despite being title favourites and having spent £75million in the transfer market.

But Mourinho needs only take a look at Chelsea's recent history - including his own past - to know that Roman Abramovich has sacked every one of his managers who have finished second in the league.

Mourinho has every reason to be confident despite losing out to Manchester City on his return to England last season - the Portuguese has won the league at every major club he has managed in his second season, including at Chelsea in his first spell at the club.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Chelsea are title contenders - Mourinho

Confident: Jose Mourinho reckons he will not be judged a failure if he fails to win the title this season

Big tussle ahead: Diego Costa and Chelsea start their season at Burnley on Monday night

RUTHLESS ROMAN

Final league positions for each of Chelsea's bosses when Roman Abramovich sacked them:

Claudio Ranieri - second (2004)

Jose Mourinho - second (2007)

Avram Grant- second (2008)

Luiz Felipe Scolari - Did Not Finish (2009)

Guus Hiddink (temporary manager) - third (2009)

Carlo Ancelotti - second (2011)

Andre Villas-Boas - DNF (2012)

Roberto Di Matteo - DNF (2012)

Rafael Benitez (temporary manager) - third (2013)

But starting with Abramovich's first manager at Stamford Bridge, Claudio Ranieri in 2004, the ruthless Russian has pulled the trigger on every manager who has failed to deliver the title. Mourinho in 2007 (his third season at the helm), Avram Grant in 2008 and Carlo Ancelotti in 2011 all finished second but lost their jobs soon after.

Luis Felipe Scolari, Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto Di Matteo never even got the chance to complete a full Premier League season before getting the chop, while temporary bosses Guus Hiddink and Rafael Benitez were not retained as Chelsea finished well off the title pace.

Mourinho already has some catching up to do. The Blues kick off their title bid at Burnley on Monday night having seen rivals Arsenal, Liverpool and City secure opening wins, although Manchester United lost in Louis van Gaal's first league match in charge.

Mourinho claimed that he could consider this season to be a success even if Chelsea do not claim a first title since 2010.

‘It’s the only league in the world where four, five or six clubs are title contenders,' he said in the build-up to Monday night's match. 'Only one can win. Do the other five fail? I don’t think so.

Cheerio: Claudio Ranieri (left) and Carlo Ancelotti (right) were sacked after finishing second in the league

‘One view is that one succeeded and five failed. Another view is that three, four or five did fantastically but only one won.’

JOSE'S SECOND SEASON MASTERY

Jose Mourinho has won the title in his second season at every major club:

Porto (2004)

Chelsea (2006)

Inter Milan (2010)

Real Madrid (2012)

Mourinho has won the title in his second season at every club he has managed for more than one year: Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

‘This is the second year of my project and I am so happy with that,’ said Mourinho. ‘At the end of the season you, the supporters and the players will judge my work. And most importantly my boss, my owner, my board will judge.’

Mourinho is right - Abramovich certainly will judge him.

Glory: Mourinho won the title in his second season at Chelsea in 2006 - but can he repeat the trick?

Reign in spain: Mourinho enjoyed La Liga success in his second season at Real Madrid